


Reunion

by soldiermom1973



Series: 1,000 years (A Reconciliation Story) [8]
Category: Mass Effect (Comics), Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect - Various Authors, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Class reunion, F/M, N7 Month 2019, N7 month, Reunion, mentions of bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2019-11-06
Packaged: 2021-01-24 07:29:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21334504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldiermom1973/pseuds/soldiermom1973
Summary: Allie isn't looking forward to her ICT class reunion.  Kaidan is shocked to find out why.
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Allie Shepard, Kaidan Alenko/Female Shepard
Series: 1,000 years (A Reconciliation Story) [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1460416
Comments: 5
Kudos: 18





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> For the day 6 [N7 Month](https://n7month.tumblr.com/post/188450175349/n7-month-challenge) prompt, Reunion.
> 
> It's NaNo, so I'm more about the quantity than quality right now, but I did proofread this. If you find anything horribly wrong or ultra-cringey, let me know.

“You don't have to go, you know.”

Kaidan had been ready for almost 15 minutes and was now leaning against he door frame, hoping his presence would be enough to spur his lover into moving a little faster. It was like she was stalling – Colonel Allie Shepard _said_ she wanted to go to her class reunion, but as the date drew nearer, she grew more and more anxious about it.

“Yes, I do,” she huffed, fussing with her hair for the millionth time. She held a pair of earrings to her ears, sighed, and replaced the ones she'd put in. Again. “I have to, Kaidan. Admiral Hackett thinks it'll be good for PR.”

The reunion in question was for Allie's ICT class. It wasn't just for the few who had graduated and obtained the coveted N7 designation – there had only been half a dozen of them – it was for everyone who had enrolled in the first place and received an N1. The last Allie had checked, about 164 people would be attending. She scanned the list of names and her face paled at the sight of several of them. Kaidan noticed, but when he asked her about it, she brushed it off.

Now, though, he knew there was something more going on. Aliie wasn't late – she hated being late for anything but at the rate she was going, they weren't going to make it to the event at all.

“Allie, talk to me.” Kaidan pushed himself off the door frame and stood behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders and gave her reflection a tender gaze. “When this first came up, you were excited and you _wanted_ to go. Now it's because you _have_ to go and it's obviously stressing you out.”

Allie dropped her hands to the dresser, bracing her weight on them. “There are people there I really don't want to talk to, Kaidan,” she answered, her voice flat. “People I would really rather never, ever see again.”

Kaidan frowned at that, not sure if he should press for more information. Fortunately, Allie just sighed and turned around. She placed her hands on his chest and smoothed the lapels of his tux. “ICT was hard for me and not just because of the training. I really didn't fit in with anyone and for whatever reason, if the instructors didn't automatically pair us up or put us into groups, I was the last one picked or I had to do things solo.”

“You were bullied?” His eyebrows shot up at the revelation, the shock apparent in his voice. It never occurred to him that the woman of his dreams, a woman who could have any person in any room at any time by just pointing at them, wasn't always like that. He never considered the love of his life hadn't been so charismatic and sought after.

“Well, not bullied exactly,” Allie sighed and shrugged. “I mean, sometimes my gear would come up missing or my shower kit would disappear and one time someone dropped a dead mouse in my dresser, but no one got physical with me or said anything nasty to my face. It was more like I was an outcast no one wanted to be around.”

“Damn.” Kaidan pulled her against his chest and nestled his cheek against her hair. “I'm sorry you went through that. You'd think at that point people would be better than that. They're supposed to be adults. Career military, at that.

He could feel Allie shrug against him. “And here I am, I saved all those people on Elysium, did the thing with Saren...” He chuckled at that and she playfully smacked his arm, “... stopped the collectors, saved the Primarch, helped cure the genophage, ended a 300 year long war....”

“Stopped the Reaper cycles and saved the galaxy,” he added.

“Well, I wasn't alone for that. I had help. You were there, too.” Another heavy sigh. “I've done all these amazing things and I'm proud of what I've accomplished, but I just...”

Kaidan's heart clenched when Allie's voice just trailed off. It had been a while since she sounded so lost. There were a few moments of silence before Kaidan spoke again. “You know, I was really looking forward to being your arm candy tonight.”

Allie looked up at him and gave him one of the biggest smiles he'd ever seen on her. “Really?” She still couldn't believe after all this time, after everything they'd been through, he still wanted to be with her.

“Really really,” he nodded. “And I know those people who didn't want anything to do with you back then will probably all want to talk to you and be in your circle of friends, but you don't have to have anything to do with them if you don't want to, you know We can just hang out in a corner, have a few drinks, share a dance or two...”

“I know.” Allie placed a gentle hand along Kaidan's cheek. “It will be pretty satisfying to see all of the jealous looks when I walk in on your arm. I mean, not only am I the Savior of the Galaxy, but I also snagged the Galaxy's Most Eligible Bachelor.”

“That you did,” he beamed at her. “So, what do you think? Are you ready to go?”

Allie turned and gave her reflection one last once-over. “Yeah. Let's go show each other off.”


End file.
